I initially contacted a VP of recruitment to express my interest in Edelman. I came across her name in an article that discussed what it's like to work at Edelman and felt we were on the same wavelength. After I wrote her a kind note, I received a timely and kind response where she explained that she focuses on higher-level recruiting but would pass my name on. We'll see, I thought.
Within a week, two ladies from HR contacted me and it all started from there.
I initially interviewed for a position with the lady from HR and didn't hear from her for a week or two, but this was over Christmas break so delays happen. She calls me out of the blue two weeks later and said, "Hey! We've got this position and I think you'd be a great fit for it. When's a good time for you to speak with the team?"
From that point on: I had a phone interview with two AE's, an in person interview with 3 AE's and a VP, a writing and grammar test the next morning and an offer in my lap within 24 hours! I was told this was very unusual in terms of how quickly they moved, but I had unique circumstances (moved to the city 24 hours ago and was being heavily pursued by another agency).
Overall, everyone I came in touch with at Edelman was respectful, helpful, and really trying to see if it was the right fit for both parties.
My advice to candidates:
-Be prepared with past work stories that emphasize delivering results and being part of a team.
-Show enthusiasm for the position and the industry.
-Have quality writing samples.
-Ask questions to figure out if it's the right fit for you. If it's not, you'll find out. And if it is a good fit, the team will see that you're interested in more than a paycheck.